When he recently bowled his first 300 game, all he hoped was that it helped his team advance in the standings.

The 20-year-old New Bedford resident bowled his perfect game the seventh week of the new season last October in the third game of a low series in the Braiden's Buddies League at Wonder Bowl.

"I just came off a 192 and a 166 game," said Botelho. "It (the series) was nothing too special."

Never having been in that predicament (going for a 300) before, he was getting nervous after his 10th strike.

"I was just thinking about each shot," the right-handed bowler said, "not focusing on the score, but it was nerve wracking anyway and I started shaking. The 12th shot was a horrible one and it went Brooklyn (the opposite pocket), but all of the pins fell."

He and his teammates heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Botelho started bowling as a four year old in the junior program at Wonder Bowl. At the age of eight, he had a high average and was put on a team with teenagers.

"I felt a little out of place," he said. "I wasn't really taking bowling very seriously back then."

Eight years ago, he quit bowling. A few years ago, he fell while bike riding and fractured his right elbow.

"I thought that would probably be the end of any bowling career that I may have wanted, " Botelho said.

A year ago, a workmate, Mark Dean, talked him into filling a vacancy in the Braden's Buddies League that he bowled and Botelho agreed.

Instead of bowling the orthodox way of two fingers and a thumb in the ball, Botelho's brother, Kevin showed him how to bowl without putting his thumb in the ball.

"Not putting the thumb in the ball helped take the stress away from my elbow," he said, "and I found that I could bowl pretty good that way."

After just being back to bowling a year, he has a 203 average and has a high 697 series.

Asked whether his goal is to bowl a 700 series, he replied, "No, not really, I just want to be on a first-place team."

Right now, with half the season left to go, his team is in fourth place.

Maybe a few 700's would be the way to propel the team forward.

Louis A. LeBlanc, in the Center League at Wonder Bowl, bowled a 300 game on Jan. 4.

Tyler Moraes, in the Monday Night Mixed League at Wonder Bowl, bowled a 253 game that was 104 pins over his average.

Scott Allain, in the Ice Chest League at Wonder Bowl, bowled a 279 game that was 102 pins over his average.

Al Ferry, in the Acushnet League at Bowlmor Lanes in Mattapoisett, bowled a 200 duckpin game on Jan. 3.

Jodi Arruda, in the Westport Trios League at Holiday Lanes in Westport, bowled a 721 series that included 246, 220 and 255 games.

Robert Rebello, in the Braiden's Buddies League at Wonder Bowl, bowled a 300 game that was 103 pins over his average on Jan. 5.

Rodney Rapoza, in the Sunday Goodtimers League at Wonder Bowl, bowled a 300 game on Jan. 8.

Eric Williams, in the Whaling City League at Wonder Bowl, bowled a 233 game that was 112 pins over his average.

Ben Mello, in the American Men League at Holiday Lanes in Westport, bowled a 300 game on Jan. 5.